Information processing apparatus, information transmission method, and control program therefor

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a plurality of image forming apparatuses, application information indicating a type of each application program installed on the plurality of image forming apparatuses, an application selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of an application program corresponding to the acquired application information, a setting information selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of setting information used in the application program whose selection has been received, an apparatus selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to transmit the setting information from among image forming apparatuses installed with the application program whose selection has been received, and a transmission control unit configured to control processing for transmitting, to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received, the setting information whose selection has been received.

1. An information processing apparatus configured to transmit setting information used in an application program that operates on an image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:
 a processor comprising:
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a plurality of image forming apparatuses, application information indicating a type of each application program installed on the plurality of image forming apparatuses; 
 an application selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of an application program corresponding to the application information acquired by the acquisition unit; 
 a setting information selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of setting information used in the application program whose selection has been received by the application selection receiving unit; 
 an apparatus selection receiving unit configured to receive selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to transmit the setting information from among image forming apparatuses installed with the application program whose selection has been received by the application selection receiving unit; and 
 a transmission control unit configured to control processing for transmitting, to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received by the apparatus selection receiving unit, the setting information whose selection has been received by the setting information selection receiving unit. 
 
 
   
   
     2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission control unit includes an inquiry unit configured to inquire of the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received by the apparatus selection receiving unit about a storage destination of the application program whose selection has been received by the application selection receiving unit, and
 wherein the transmission control unit controls transmission processing to set the setting information to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received by the apparatus selection receiving unit based on the storage destination acquired by the inquiry unit. 
 
   
   
     3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus selection receiving unit is configured to receive selection of at least one image forming apparatus from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses, and
 wherein the transmission control unit controls transmission processing to transmit the setting information to all of the at least one image forming apparatus whose selection has been received by the apparatus selection receiving unit. 
 
   
   
     4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transmission history management unit configured to manage a transmission history about transmission processing performed by the transmission control unit; and 
 a retransmission destination apparatus selection receiving unit configured to extract an image forming apparatus to which the setting information has not been transmitted from among image forming apparatuses whose selection has been received by the apparatus selection receiving unit based on the transmission history managed by the transmission history management unit, to display the extracted image forming apparatus, and to receive selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to retransmit the setting information. 
 
   
   
     5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a receiving function determination unit configured to determine, before transmission of the setting information to the selected image forming apparatus, whether the selected image forming apparatus includes a function for receiving the setting information; and 
 a receiving function program transmission unit configured to transmit a receiving function program for receiving the setting information to the selected image forming apparatus. 
 
   
   
     6. A method for transmitting setting information used in an application program that operates on an image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
 acquiring, from a plurality of image forming apparatuses, application information indicating a type of each application program installed on the plurality of image forming apparatuses; 
 receiving selection of an application program corresponding to the acquired application information; 
 receiving selection of setting information used in the application program whose selection has been received; 
 receiving selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to transmit the setting information from among image forming apparatuses installed with the application program whose selection has been received; and 
 controlling processing for transmitting, to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received, the setting information whose selection has been received. 
 
   
   
     7. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 inquiring of the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received about a storage destination of the application program whose selection has been received; and 
 controlling transmission processing to set the setting information to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received based on the acquired storage destination. 
 
   
   
     8. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving selection of at least one image forming apparatus from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses, and 
 controlling transmission processing to transmit the setting information to all of the at least one image forming apparatus whose selection has been received. 
 
   
   
     9. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 managing a transmission history about the transmission processing; and 
 extracting an image forming apparatus to which the setting information has not been transmitted from among image forming apparatuses whose selection has been received based on the managed transmission history, displaying the extracted image forming apparatus, and receiving selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to retransmit the setting information. 
 
   
   
     10. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining, before transmission of the setting information to the selected image forming apparatus, whether the selected image forming apparatus includes a function for receiving the setting information; and 
 transmitting a receiving function program for receiving the setting information to the selected image forming apparatus. 
 
   
   
     11. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by an information processing apparatus configured to transmit setting information used in an application program that operates on an image forming apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 acquiring, from a plurality of image forming apparatuses, application information indicating a type of each application program installed on the plurality of image forming apparatuses; 
 receiving selection of an application program corresponding to the acquired application information; 
 receiving selection of setting information used in the application program whose selection has been received; 
 receiving selection of an image forming apparatus as a destination to which to transmit the setting information from among image forming apparatuses installed with the application program whose selection has been received; and 
 controlling processing for transmitting, to the image forming apparatus whose selection has been received, the setting information whose selection has been received.